Pair hospitalized after car's river plunge in Fitchburg

FITCHBURG — Police say a couple pulled from a car in the Nashua River this morning were still receiving hospital treatment this evening.

Fire officials identified the driver as Marie Boudreau, 80, and the passenger as Rene Boudreau, 85. Mrs. Boudreau is at Leominster Hospital and Mr. Boudreau was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian F. Belliveau said he was cautiously optimistic that the two would recover.

The vehicle was spotted by an off-duty police officer. The rescue occurred about 8:45 a.m., near Barb's Riverside Cafe, 131 Westminster St. and the British American Club, at Simonds Road and Westminster Street.

A group of people rushed to the vehicle, a Buick LaCrosse which was in about three feet of water, and managed to get it upright, according to Deputy Chief Belliveau. Extrication tools were used to free the couple from the car.

"It took a very, very strong effort between the police officers, the firefighters and I believe some civilians at the scene to make this happen the way it did," Deputy Chief Belliveau said, praising EMS workers for their response.

He said the two people were unresponsive and had no pulses when rescuers removed them from the vehicle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed en route to UMass Memorial — HealthAlliance Leominster Campus and the couple's pulses had returned after their arrival at the hospital, he said.

According to police Sgt. Mark Jackson, the initial investigation indicates the car was in a parking lot behind the restaurant when the driver inadvertently accelerated while in reverse, sending the vehicle down a short embankment and into the river.

It was not clear how long it had been there before being seen.

Photographer Rick Cinclair and Mike Elfland of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.

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